Conveyer system



H. E. TWOMLEY April 12,1932.

GONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9; 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet v In 'vemar /lorney;

April l2, 1932. H, E, TwoMLEY CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9, 1931 y 3 SheebS-Shee'fl 2 oPn/arerd April 12, 1932.

H. E. TwoMLEY CONVEYER, SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9, 1931 s sheets-sheet 5 'Inventar Attorneys Patented Apr. 112,; 1932 UNITED STATES PATE-Nr OFFICE HERBERT E. TWOMLEY, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO CLARA IB.` PARKER, l

0F RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, EXEVCUTRIX DECEASED y 0F ESTATE 0F GEO. D. PARKER,

coNvnYEn SYSTEM Application ma February s, 1931. ssn-19.1 no. 514,520.

My invention relates to conveyer systems and has particular reference to a system for preventing collision between articles passing over two branch conveyers leading into a junction between the two conveyers.

In factories and in other locations where it is desirable to transport parcels, boxes or other articles from various points of a building or manufacturing plant to other points therein, it has been the practice to provide conveyers, one of the most popular types being the roller or Hasslet type of conveyer. Conveyers of this character may start lat widely separated points in the building, i. e. there will be a branch conveyer'starting at one part of the factory or other location, while anotler may start at a point considerably spaced from the first. These conveyers are then brought together at a junction point at which the two conveyers merge into a single continuing conveyer extending from the junction point.

In the past considerable difficulty has been experienced in preventing parcels on both of such branch conveyers arrlving simultaneously at the junction point and colliding, to the injury of the parcels or box so conveyed. It is an object of my invention therefore to provide a conveyer system in which several branch conveyers may be brought together at a junction point to converge into a continuing conveyer beyond such junction and in which the possibility of collision between parcels entering simultaneously from both vbranch conveyers is avoided.

Another object of my invention is to'providea conveyer system of the character described in the preceding paragraph, in which the parcels on one conveyer are engaged by al stopping device and are positively held from entering the-junction until parcels from the other conveyer have cleared the junction collision.

Another. object of my invention is to provide a conveyer of the character described in the preceding paragraphs, in which parcels entering upon one conveyer will operatei so as to remove the stopping device from one of the branch conveyers and projecting a sufficiently to insure that-there will be nol stopping device in the path ofthe other conveyer, until after parcels from the rst'conveyer` have passed into the junction beyond a polnt of danger of collision. l

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from a study of the following speciicatlon read in connection with the accompan'ylng drawings, wherein Fl'gure is a plan view of a conveyer system 1n whlch two branch'conveyers converge mto a single conveyer at a junction point,

such system being provided with a collision 1, particularly illustrating the junction of a branch conveyer intersecting the opposite branch conveyer at a considerable angle.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a conveyer system comprising a pair of branch conveyers 1 and 2 which`are illustrated as following paths parallel to each other. Each of these branch conveyers comprises a plurality of rollers 3, (in this instance a single roller extending across both of the branch conveyers) driven Y in any suitable manner as by means of a chain 4 operating upon sprockets 5 connected vto each vof the rollers and maintained in contact with such sprockets as by means of passing the chain 4 over idler rollersv or sprockets 6. The chain 4 is arranged to be suitably driven from a driving sprocket 7 connected upon a suitable shaft 8 which may be in turn driven through any suitable gearing 8 connected to a drive shaft 9 to which power is supplied from any suitable prime mover, as by means of pulley and belt 10. i

The branch conveyers 1 and 2 are illllstratloo' 75 of the conveyer system illustrated in Figure ed as converging into a junction 11, such junction being formed by the corverging exterior guides 12 (for branch conveyer 1) and 13 (for branch conveyer 2) to guide parcels upon each of these conve ers to a continuing conveyer 14 whichexten from the junction 11.

Prior to the entry of the arcels into the junction 11, the parcels have een restrained to one or the other of the branch conveyers 1 and 2 by means of a divisional artition guide 15 which terminates, as is indicated at 16, approximately in alignment with the point at which the exterior guides 12 and 13 conver e. A

The junction 11 is indicated as comprising a plurality of separate rollers 17 arranged in longitudinal alignmentwith the branch con-v veyer 2 while a similar set of rollers 18 is provided. in alignment with the branch conveyer 1 so that parcels entering the junction from the branch conveyer 1 will be positively driven through the junction 11 by means of rollers 18 independent of rollers 17. The rollers 17 and 18 are arranged to be driven by means of a chain 19 which is in turn driven through a suitable sprocket 20 connected'in any suitable manner to a separate stub shaft 21 geared to the drive shaft 9.

suchas 8 and 21, power may be applied to each of the rollers of a conveyer which extends over a considerable distance without placing any unnecessary strain upon the chains connected to the rollers and the positive application of power is thereby facilitated.

In order to prevent collision between parcels upon the two branch conveyers 1 and 2 which may arrive at the junction point simultaneously, I-have illustrated a stopping device for obstructing the path of such articles as comprising a lever 22 secured beneaththe level of the rollers 17 as by connecting the rearward end of the lever 22 to a pivot shaft 23 which is in turn supported upon brackets 24 carried by the guides 12 and 13. Thus, the lever 22 is arranged for pivotal movement in a vertical plane.

Spaced along the lever 22 in the direction of movement of parcels over the conveyer system I have arranged an upstanding rod or bar 25 rigidly secured at its lower end to the lever 22 and bearing upon its upper end a journal 26 constituting the bearing for a shaft 27 uponl opposite ends of which are secured rollers 28 and 29.

The length of the rod or bar 25 is selected such that when the lever 22'is in its uppermost position the rollersv 28 andV 29 will lie considerably above the upper level of the conveyer rollers 17 in a position to engage the front end of a parcel passing over branch conveyer 2 and thus-positively stopping such parcel (indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 By arranging a"plurality of stub shafts,

assenza?v Vconveyer system I have illustrated a second bar 30 also rigidly secured to the bar 22 and carrying upon its upper end a pair of rollers 31 and 32. Again, the length of the bar 30 is such that when the lever 22 is in its uppermost position the rollers 31 and 32 will be 1n a position to engage a parcel passing from the branch conveyer 2.

The spacing of the lrollers 28-29 from the rollers 31--32 is selected substantially vequal to the length -of the parcels to be conveyed over the conveyer system so that a parcel which passes over the rollers 2829 will engage the rollers 31 and 32 and thereby hold the lever 22 in its depressed position until after the parcel clears or passes from above the rollers 3l and 32.

Arranged in alignment with the branch conveyer 1 is a similar lever 33 carrying in similar positions bars 34 and 35 which respectively support rollers 36-37 and rollers 38-39.

By referring particularly' to Figure 3, it Will be observed that levers 22 and 33 are interconnected by means of a walkingbeam or lever 40 which is pivoted as at 41 upon a bracket/42, opposite ends of the lever being connected by means of links 43 and 44, re-

spectively, to the levers 33 and 22. Hence,

when lever 33 is depressed (as is illustrated in Figure 3) lever 22'willv be elevated, while depression of lever 22 (as is illustrated in Figure 4) will insure elevation of lever 33.

The operationV of the conveyer system constructed in accordance with the preceding description is as follows:

Assuming that parcels are movingacross Y each of the branch conveyers 1 and 2 toward the junction 11, the arrival of these parcels at the junction 11 will cause the first parcel i to so arrive to engage the rollers 28 and 29 or 36, 37 associated with the particular branch conveyer over which it is travelling.

Assuming that the first parcel to arrive is traveling along branch conveyer 1, the engagement of rollers 36 and37 by such parcel will cause depression of the lever 33 to remove rollers 36 and 37 from the path of this parcel, while at the same time through the connection of the walking beam or lever 40, the Y lever 22 will be elevated to place the rollers 28 and 29 into position to obstruct or stop the parcel approaching from branch conveyer 2.

The unobstructed parcel from branch conveyer 1 will then pass into the junction 11 without -danger of colliding with parcels from conveyer 2.

' The parcel from branch conveyer 1 in its '38, 39 the parcel from conveyer 2 vwhich has been abuttin rollers 28, 2 9 is now permitted to depress t ese rollers to remove the obstruction from its path and it .may enter the junction 11, maintaining the lever 22 depressed during its entire passage past the for- 4 ward rollers 31, 32. At the same time the desuccessive parce ression of lever '22 will cause the elevation of ever 33 and obstruct the entry of further parcels from branch conveyer 1 until after the junction 11 is again clear for further entry arcels.

t will be observed that if a succession of parcels enter from one of the branch conveyers, for exam le, branch conveyer 1, these lia being spaced from each other by an amount less thanthe distance indicated by the -arrow on Figure 1, representing the longitudinal spacing of the forward and rearward rollers associated with each of the levers, all of these parcels will proceed into the junction before permitting` entry of any parcel from the opposite branch conveyor. Also, it will be observed that in the event two parcels should arrive at the junction 11 from both of the branch conveyors 1 and 2 n exact synchronism, these two parcels will simultaneously strike the rearward rollers. That is, parcel A from conveyer 2 will engage rollers 28 and 29 at the same instant that parcel B on conveyer 1 would engage rollers 36 and 37.

However, one or the other of these parcels "ould be given preference or in other words` would be permitted to depress its associated rollers in` reference to the other by reason of any di erence in weight between the two parcels. If one of the parcels, for example, parcel B, exceeds in weight the parcel A, the lever 33 will be depressed and allow that parcel toenter the junction first while the other parcel would be stopped and prevented from entering the junction.

. By referring to Figure 5 it will be observed that- I vhave illustrated thereina modified form of the conveyer system such as is illustrated vin Figure 1.- In this case, however, the branch conveyer 1a is illustrated as being in alignment with' and constituting' a part of a straight vconveyer of which the continuation 14a constitutes a part. y

The branch conveyer- 2a approaches conveyer 1, not parallel thereto as in the form illustrated in Figure 1, but at a considerable angle thereto so that it is necessary to form a curved friction is encountered 'by Figure 1 as constituting aV lever 33 pivoted i upon a shaft 62 similar to that referredy to as 23 in Figure 2 and carrying a air of rearward rollers 36l and 37 and a set o forward rollers esl and 39x p. i

The stopping device associated with branch conveyer 2 constitutes the leger 22l mounted upon a shaft23" and carryin\ rearward roll-v ers 28*l and 29* and also being provided wit a set of forward rollers 31n and 32..

It will be observed that the guide rail 63 upon the right hand side of'branch conveyer 1 is cut awa as is indicated at 64 to permit the entry o. parcels from branch conveyer 2 Jinto the junction 61 while the relative locations of the rollers 38'* and 39"L associated o with branch conveyer 1 and rollers 31Aand 32a associated with branch conveyer 2 are arranged adjacent the cut awayportion of the guide 63.

It will also be observed that a walkingl beamA 65 pivoted at 66- has its opposite ends connected respectively to the4v lever 33' and the lever 22. so that when one of these levers lis depressed the opposite lever will be elevated. Hence, parcels such as that indicated at 67 approachin upon branch conveyer 1 will be prevent-ed om entering the junction 61 if a parcel 68 is on its way vinto the junction 61 from branch conveyer 2a until the parcel 68 has passed beyond rollers 31'L and ,32% The necessity of roviding the two 'sets'"`of rollers on each o' the levers is forcefully demonstrated in the modification shown in Figure 5; if the stoppings rollers 36a and 37 a were permitted to release the box or parcel 67 at the time the parcel 68 had cleared the rearward rollers 28 and 29 associated-with branch conve er 2v, the box 67 might be started at suc time as to strike the box 68. This is particularly true-since the passage of the box 68 into the junction 61 is somewhat hindered due to the fact that it must change its direction of travel and therefore a eater this box t an is by the box 67 merely contlnuing its straightahead movement.

Thus, it will be observed that I have provided a conveyer system in which a pair of branch conveyers converging into a junction are provided with a device which positively lprevents entry of parcels from both of said ranch conveyers at the same time and in which, irrespective of the time of arrival of said parcels at the junction, preference will be given to one or the other of the parcels and thus prevent the conveyer system from becoming 'i structed against y branch conveyers converge into a single continuing conveyer, at a junction of said branch conve ers a stopping device for each of said branch conveyers for engaging and stopping parcels on said conveyers, respectively, each of said stopping devices comprising a member engagea le y a parcel and movable verticall thereby from a position above the surface evel of said conveyer to a second position below the surface level of said conveyer,

and means interconnecting the said members for each of the branch conveyers so that movement of one of said members to its lower position a parcel elevates the remainder b of the m'emli'ers to their elevated positions,

and prevents lowering of any of the remainder of said/members until said first member is disengaged by parcels.

2. In a conveyer system in which several branch conveyers converge into a single continuing conveyer, at a junction of said branch conveers a stepping device for each of said branc of said stoppin e conveyers, for engaging and stopping parcels on said conveyers, respectively, each devices comprising a member enga ea y a parcel and movable vertically t ereby from a position above the surface level of said conveyer to a second position below the surface level of said conveyer, and one or more levers inter-connecting saidmembers in substantially balanced relation whereby the heavier of two parcels on di ierent branch conveyers simultaneously engaging the members associated with said di Herent branch conveyers will move its member to the lower position and" elevate the remainder of said members to their upper position.

3. In a conveyer system in which several branch conveyers converge into a single continuing conveyer, at a junction of said branch.

conveyers a stopping device for each of said branch conveyers engaging and stopping parcels on said conveyers respectively, each of said stopping devices comprising a member engageable by a parcel and movable verticall thereby from a position above the surface evel of said conveyer to a second posil tion below the surface' level of said conveyer, and means engageable by parcels passin over veyer for vertical movement relative thereto,

therewith from a position above the surface level of said conveyer to arsecond position below the surface level of said conveyer and a lever connected at its opposite ends respectively to each of the levers associated with said two branch conveyers and pivoted between its ends upon some stationary part of said. conveyer whereby depression of one of \.a device engageable by la parcel and movable 4 fthereby, secured to said lever and movable said levers causes elevation of the other of A said levers. v

5; In a conveyer system in which two branch conveyers converge into a single continuing conveyer at a junction of said branch conveyers, a stopping device for each of said branch conveyers engaging and stopping parcels on said conveyers respectively, each of said stopping devices comprising a lever pivotally secured to the associated branch conveyer for vertical movement relative thereto,

a device engageable and movable by parcels comprising one o1 more rollers secured to said lever andmovable therewith from a position above the surface level of said conveyer to a second position below the surface level of sald conveyer and a lever connected at its opposite ends respectively to each of the levers associated with said two branch conveyers and pivoted between its ends upon some l stationary part ofsaid conveyer whereby deof movement of parcels over said conveyer,

a parcel engaging member secured to said lever at a point spaced along said lever from said pivot and movable with'said lever from a position above the level of the surface of sald conveyer, a second parcel engaging member arranged upon said lever at a point still further spaced along said lever from said pivot, van interconnecting lever connected at its opposite .ends respectively to the levers associated with each of said branch conveyers and pivoted intermediate its ends to some stationary part of said conveyer whereby engagement by such parcel engaging member associated with one of said conveyers by a. parcel on said conveyer depresses the lever associated therewith and elevates the lever associated with the opposite conveyer and depression of the leven associated with said other conveyer is prevented until after a parcel has passed over the second named parcel engaging member.

7 In a conveyer system in which two branch conveyers converge into a single continulng conveyer at a junction of s'a1d branch' conveyers, a stopping device for each of said branch conveyers for engaging and stopping parcels on said conveyers respectively, each of said stopping devices comprising a lever pivoted to the associated conveyer and movable vertically relative thereto, a parcel engaging member secured to said lever and movable by a parcel from a position above the surface level of said conveyer to a second position below the surface' level of said conveyer, a lever having its opposite ends connected respectivel to the levers associated with each of said ranch conveyers and pivoted at its center to some stationary part of said conveyer in substantially balanced relation.

Signed at Riverside, California, this 22nd day of January, 1931.

HERBERT E. TWOMLEY. 

